Monday, May 25, 2009

Grandfather Cowan: I don't remember a whole lot about him. He died when I was really young. I remember the hospital bed in the front room. By the big window in the back of the living room. I remember singing "I am a Child of God" with all of the grandkids at his funeral. I remember thinking, when we sang the part about "rich blessings are in store", that it was like a can of Campell's soup...only Blessings soup. I think of him when I drive past farm land.

Grandpa Hurst: "Ride a cock horsey to Bambury Cross, to see a fine lady upon a fine horse. Rings on her fingers and bells on her toes, she will hear music where ever she goes! YEE-HAH!!" He used to chant that rhyme while giving us a ride on his foot (crossed over his knee so it would swing) then, at the end he would boost us on to his lap and generally give us a good ol' whisker rub. I remember his garden. I remember his fun wooden toys he built. I remember his marigold garden. I celebrate him with a bowl of ice cream.

Grandma Hurst: She always had a bag of M&M's in her purse. They tasted like she smelled. So yummy. I wish I could go buy a bag of Grandma Hurst flavored M&M's. She saved all her costume jewelry for the girls to dress up in. There was always a yellow cake with chocolate frosting on her counter. I remember sleeping over with her after Grandpa died (mostly on the weekends so my older brother, Jared, could have a break). I did puzzles with her and played Solitare to pass the time. She was watching me play Solitare one time. I had no moves so I pulled a card from somewhere I shouldn't have...."I saw that", she said. I can't cheat at Solitare to this day. I celebrate her with a bucket of KFC.

Grandmother Cowan: She was VERY proper. Always called me "Michelle". Never answered to "Grandma". Only to "Grandmother". Frozen government cheese. Toast (home made bread) with honey so old it was black. Ice cream cones. She was a Depression baby...we saved tin foil and used baggies and made due with what we had. We used to dance around in her living room to an old church record. She pulled pans out of the a 350 degree oven...with NO hot pads. Bare handed. She used to recite "Little Black Sambo" to us. I wish I had a recording of her telling the story. I loved the voices she used. She used to walk in the back door to a room FULL of people and yell, "Is anybody home?" One time, we all yelled back "NO!" From then on it was "Is anybody happy?" I can't eat toast with honey with out remebering her.

That's the order in which they passed away. I miss them terribly as I type this. It's been a while since I remebered back to the things they did to make me smile.

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Hellos:

(this is Glenn, even though it says Stacie) I don't remember Grandfather Cowan since I was 2 when he died, but I do remember Grandmother. I definitely think of her when I have toast in a toaster oven. I really liked walking on the pink wall in front of the house and eating rhubarb. I also liked looking at the sandstone flagstones in the front driveway. I wish I had known her a little better, and I do miss her too.

Oops, one more thing. I always remember going to Grandfather's grave on Memorial Day. For some reason, it was always raining when we came to visit on Memorial Day. It seemed to me that it made that day feel more important. We always left mums at the headstone.

Ahh, what a great tribute to those we were luck enough to call Grandma and Grandpa--opps I mean Grandmother and Grandfather-- loved going down memory lane with you. Great post!Love you and miss you.Janalee

that is a good post! I love all the memories! a few other words that make me think of Grandmother are 'cuss it', 'grab it', and batteries pronounced 'BATT-tries'! love them all!... and Auntu Bethu too!

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About Me

What do you get if you take one boy from the West, add a girl from a neighboring state, and then throw in a little smarty pants girl, a whirlwind of a boy, and a dramatic toddler? That's my life in a nut shell! Hope you enjoy!